Land

Copy of the old records of the town of Duxbury, Mass. From 1642 to 1770

Copy of the old records of the town of Duxbury, Mass

Copied by George Ethridge from various manuscript volumes and loose papers, and arranged as nearly as possible by dates. Records of births, marriages, and deaths not included. The bounds of Duxbury originally included what is now within the limits of Duxbury, Marshfield, Pembroke, Hanson, the Bridgewaters and Brockton.

United States Bureau of Land Management Tract Books, 1800-c. 1955

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3,907 land management tract books containing official records of the land status and transactions involving surveyed public lands arranged by state and then by township and range. These books indicate who obtained the land, and include a physical description of the tract and where the land is located. The type of transaction is also recorded such as cash entry, credit entry, homesteads, patents (deeds) granted by the Federal Government, and other conveyances of title such as Indian allotments, internal improvement grants (to states), military bounty land warrants, private land claims, railroad grants, school grants, and swamp grants. Additional items of information included in the tract books are as follows: number of acres, date of sale, purchase price, land office, entry number, final Certificate of Purchase number, and notes on relinquishments and conversions.

Norwich Vermont in the Controversy with New York

The contest with New York in regard to land titles was the first of a series of political commotions that arose to disquiet and vex the settlers on the New Hampshire Grants, to turn their thoughts and energies away from the improvement of their little properties, and check their growing prosperity. In this contest the inhabitants of the upper valley of the Connecticut in general took no active part. They all held their lands under New Hampshire Grants, and as New York never re-granted the same lands to other parties, or attempted to dispossess them or molest them in any … Read more

Coweta County, Georgia, Deed Index

Grantees 1827-1886 State-land state surveyed partly in indiscriminate metes and bounds and partly in lottery lots. The Georgia Surveyor-General Department in the Georgia State Archives and Records Building, Atlanta, holds the grants, surveys, and related papers for Georgia from the colony’s founding. Its major records and indexes are microfilmed. The department is one of the most active in the United States in indexing land records and publishing guides, including an admirable work by Marion R. Hemperley, Georgia Surveyor General Department: A History and Inventory of Georgia’s Land Office (Atlanta: State Printing Office, 1982). A sampling of other titles issued by … Read more

Washington Petitions for Land Law separate from Oregon

The most important matter to which the attention of the national legislature was called was a change in the land law, to effect which congress was memorialized to grant them a surveyor-general of their own, and a land system “separate from, and wholly disconnected with, that of Oregon territory.” To be relieved from the prohibition preventing the holders of donation certificates from selling any portion of their claims before they received a patent; their certificates to be prima facie evidence of title. Suggestions were given as to the manner of establishing a claim by witnesses before the surveyor-general. That persons … Read more

Old Norfolk County Massachusetts Records

May 17, 1654, Jno Ward of Haverhill and wife Alice conveyed to Elizabeth Lilford of Haverhill (wife of Tho: Lilford) 4-acre house lot. Wit: Richard Littlehale and Rich: Ormsby. Ack. before Tho: Wiggin May 15, 1658. April 22, 1659, Robert Swan of Haverhill and wife Elizabeth, for £r6, conveyed to John Jonson of Haverhill 6 acres of houselot I bought of Mathias Button, bounded by Theophilus Satchwell, etc. Wit: Richard Littlehale and Mary Littlehale. Ack. before Symon Bradstreet Oct. 13, 1661. Oct. 12, 1661, Obadiah Eyer (his mark) of Haverhill and wife Hannah, for £5 l0s., conveyed to John Jonson … Read more

The History of Miscellaneous Salem House Lots

Henry West Lot Col. John Hathorne conveyed this lot to Henry West of Salem May 19, 1699. Mr. West died possessed of the lot in 1703, having devised it to his son Samuel West in his will, which, though well and strong, he made, “considering the many sudden deaths that are of late,” Feb. 3, 1700-1. The son Samuel built the house that subsequently occupied the site. John Higginson Lot Col. John Hathorne conveyed this lot to John Higginson, 3d, May 18, 1699. Mr. Higginson erected a house upon this lot, probably after 1700, and died possessed of it. Nathaniel … Read more

Jeremiah Rogers House

Jeremiah Rogers House. This lot was probably granted to Rev. Hugh Peter when he was settled as pastor of the church here in 1635. He probably lived in the house that was early erected on this lot. After the close of his ministry here he returned to England; and, 8: 12mo: 1659, by his attorney Charles Gott of Wenham, for twelve pounds, he conveyed the house and lot to Benjamin Felton of Salem; and about a year later was executed as a regicide upon the accession to the throne of Charles II. Mr. Felton conveyed the house and lot to … Read more

John Hathorne House

John Hathorne House. This lot and all the lots between this and Summer street, north of the Corwin land, belonged to Ralph Fogg in 1659, the tract containing about two acres. Mr. Fogg returned to England, and established himself as a furrier, first in Plymouth, and subsequently in London. He died in England about March 15, 1673-4, leaving the real estate to his widow Susanna and his three sons, John, David and Ezekiel. At the request of the widow, the brothers being together in Boston May 28, 1674, David and Ezekiel released the real estate to John, who then resided … Read more

Estate of George Corwin House

Estate of George Corwin House, and Estate of George Corwin and Jonathan Corwin Lots. These three lots contained four acres, and were a pasture belonging to Rev. Hugh Peter, the pastor of the First church in Salem, and subsequently a regicide, early in the settlement, probably having been granted to him by the town. After his return to England, he conveyed this pasture, by his attorney, Charles Gott of Wenham, to Capt. George Corwin of Salem, merchant, July 1, 1659. Captain Corwin died Jan. 3, 1684-5, aged seventy-four. This pasture was divided between his son Jonathan and the heirs of … Read more

Elizabeth Tawley House

The house and lot of Mrs. Elizabeth Tawley was originally the estate of Dr. George Emery, an early surgeon of Salem. He was living in Salem in 1637, owned this land in 1652, and lived in this house as early as 1657. May 1, 1677, in consideration of good will, he conveyed the house and lot to his kinswoman Elizabeth Tawley and her husband John Tawley, a mariner, the conveyance being made upon the condition that they maintain him during the remainder of his life. John Tawley died in 1690, and his widow Elizabeth and only child Elizabeth continued to … Read more

General Remarks About the Six Nations in 1890

The state and federal courts, as the former have recognized in several instances, should recognize the 64 “Indian common law title” of occupants of reservation lands, where such lands have been improved. They should assure such titles, as well as sales, devises, and descent, through courts of surrogate or other competent tribunals, wherever local Indian officials refuse just recognition of such titles or delay a just administration when conflicts arise. All statutes which offer the Indian a premium for dishonest dealing should be repealed, and the Indian should be held to his contracts to the extent of his personal holdings. … Read more